There ain't no party like a Lomo party!

It was May 19th and Big Ben chimed Party o'clock! I grabbed my bag, rushed out of work and jumped on the nearest tube bound for Soho. Earlier that day Lomography online had been buzzing with excitement about the BRAND NEW camera release and this would be the first chance London's Lomographers would get to see this beauty in the flesh...

Carnaby street was buzzing with late night shoppers as I approached the Gallery Store, but looming high above the crowds was the tallest woman I have ever seen brandishing a huge camera. A stilt walker? It’s safe to say Lomography don’t do things in halves (unless it’s the frames we’re talking about).

Inside the store the crowds were gathering, the DJ was dropping sweet beats and the free cocktails were flowing like water. Pretty ladies were feeding the masses with their Lomo-Cupcakes. The mood was high as Veteran Lomographers brushed shoulders with newcomers, sharing their love for the quirky cameras. Some excited girls who had never heard of Lomography before were so intrigued by all the fuss and “amazing photo walls” that they insisted on staying all night.

It was soon time to unveil the new camera, the reason we were all here, despite the fact that we had seen it online hours earlier, everyone was still excited to actually see the real thing.

Eager Lomographers all took turns to play with the brand new LC-Wide whilst those who were less aware of it’s significance danced around them. kylewis was particularly impressed “I love wide angle and the lens is lovely”. Lomo-fan Richard Schembri said he loved the idea that “with the new focus settings you can hardly go wrong”. Everyone loved the camera and the awesome pictures from it’s gallery.

‘London Wide’ a great stop motion film shot entirely on the new camera was played on a loop in the new Lomo Hub social area. Apparently one of the photographers had given himself blisters on his fingers from winding the advance wheel so much – now that’s dedication to the job!

Of course the point of the party was to celebrate the release of the LC-Wide but it soon became more than that. There were a surprising amount of partiers who had didn’t own Lomography cameras, some had never even heard of it before, but everyone I spoke to said they loved it. It made me realise why I love Lomography so much, it’s about more than just photography, it’s about lifestyle and community, it’s about these social events that bring enthusiasts together.

Sadly towards the end of the night, despite being chained to its display stand, the brand new camera went missing. There is always one person that has to ruin the fun – and I hadn’t finished playing with it yet….

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